宁夏天然草地植被碳储量特征及构成

以宁夏广泛分布的温性草甸草原、温性草原、温性草原化荒漠和温性荒漠草原为研究对象,采用实地调查采样的方法,研究了宁夏天然草地植被总碳储量。结果表明: 宁夏天然草地地上植被、地下根系及主要灌木平均含碳率为0.40,枯落物平均含碳率为0.39。草甸草原、温性草原、草原化荒漠和荒漠草原的植被总碳储量分别为470.26、192.23、117.17和83.36 g·m^-2,其中,地上植被碳储量分别为87.35、68.50、59.32和40.05 g·m^-2,地下根系碳储量分别为344.29、108.83、50.65和30.29 g·m^-2,枯落物碳储量分别为38.62、14.91、7.19和13.03 g·m^-2,且均表现为草甸草原＞温性草原＞草原化荒漠＞荒漠草原。地下根系碳储量是构成草甸草原和温性草原植被总碳储量的主体,地上植被碳储量是构成草原化荒漠和荒漠草原植被总碳储量的主体,且地下根系碳储量均随土层深度加深而递减。宁夏天然草地植被总碳储量空间分布呈现草甸草原和温性草原分布的南部区域碳储量明显高于荒漠草原和草原化荒漠分布的中北部区域。     

青藏高原草地植被覆盖变化及其与气候因子的关系

为揭示气候变化对青藏高原草地生态系统的影响及其生态适应机制,利用1982~1999年间的NOAA/AVHRR NDVI数据和对应的气候资料,研究了近20年来青藏高原草地植被覆盖变化及其与气候因子的关系。结果表明,18年来研究区生长季NDVI显著增加(p=0.015),其增加率和增加量分别为0.41% a^-1和0.001 0 a^-1。生长季提前和生长季生长加速是青藏高原草地植被生长季NDVI增加的主要原因。春季为NDVI增加率和增加量最大的季节,其增加率和增加量分别为0.92% a^-1和0.001 4 a^-1;夏季NDVI的增加对生长季NDVI增加的贡献相对较小,其增加率和增加量分别为0.37% a^-1和0.001 0 a^-1。3种草地(高寒草甸、高寒草原、温性草原)春季NDVI均显著增加(p<0.01;p=0.001; p=0.002); 高寒草甸夏季NDVI显著增加(p=0.027),而高寒草原和温性草原夏季NDVI呈增加趋势,但都不显著(p=0.106; p=0.087);3种草地秋季NDVI则没有明显的变化趋势(p=0.585; p=0.461; p=0.143)。3种草地春季NDVI的增加是由春季温度上升所致。高寒草地(高寒草甸和高寒草原)夏季NDVI的增加是夏季温度和春季降水共同作用的结果。温性草原夏季NDVI变化与气候因子并没有表现出显著的相关关系。高寒草地植被生长对气候变化的响应存在滞后效应。     

宁夏典型温性天然草地固碳特征

本文研究了宁夏草甸草原、温性草原、草原化荒漠和荒漠草原4种温性典型天然草地生态系统碳储量及其构成特征。结果表明: 草甸草原、温性草原、草原化荒漠和荒漠草原植被总生物量分别为1178.91、481.22、292.80和209.09 g·m^-2。其中,地下根系生物量是构成草甸草原和温性草原植被总生物量的主体,分别占总生物量的73.1%和56.6%;地上植被生物量是构成草原化荒漠和荒漠草原植被总生物量的主体,分别占总生物量的50.3%和47.6%;枯落物生物量占比较低,分别仅为8.5%、8.0%、6.4%和16.2%。草甸草原、温性草原、草原化荒漠和荒漠草原4种天然草地生态系统碳储量分别为13.90、5.94、2.69和2.37 kg·m^-2,其中植被碳储量分别为470.26、192.23、117.17、83.36 g·m^-2,0～40 cm土层土壤有机碳储量分别为13.43、5.75、2.58和2.29 kg·m^-2,土壤有机碳储量是构成宁夏典型天然草地碳储量的主体,分别占到了生态系统碳储量的96.6%、96.8%、95.6%和96.5%。4种草地类型植被总生物量、植被碳储量、土壤有机碳储量和生态系统碳储量均表现为:草甸草原＞温性草原＞草原化荒漠＞荒漠草原。     

内蒙古植被降水利用效率的时空格局及其驱动因素

植被降水利用效率(precipitation-use efficiency, PUE)是评价干旱、半干旱地区植被生产力对降水量时空动态响应特征的重要指标。该研究利用光能利用率CASA (Carnegie-Ames-Stanford Approach)模型估算了2001-2010年内蒙古地区植被净初级生产力(net primary productivity, NPP), 结合降水量的空间插值数据, 分析了近10年内蒙古地区植被PUE的空间分布、主要植被类型的PUE,及其时空格局的驱动因素。结果表明: 2001-2010年内蒙古地区所有植被的平均PUE为0.94 g C·m^-2·mm^-1, 且在105-120° E地带性规律明显,PUE上升速率为每10° 0.55 g C·m^-2·mm^-1。各植被类型间PUE差别较大, 其中灌丛PUE最高, 荒漠PUE最低。在不同的降水量区域, 植被PUE的空间分布与气候因子的关系有较大差别, 0-75 mm降水量区间内, PUE随降水量、气温的升高显著下降(R² = 0.226, p < 0.05); 175-300 mm降水量区间内, 植被 PUE的空间变化与降水量和气温呈极显著相关关系(R² = 0.878, p < 0.001), 且随降水量的增加显著上升( R² = 0.94, p < 0.001), 变化速率约为每100 mm降水0.57 g C·m ^-2·mm^-1; 在降水量大于475 mm的区域, 植被PUE的空间分布与降水量、气温的相关性显著(R² = 0.19, p < 0.05), 且随着气温的上升、降水量的下降而增加, 其中气温的贡献是降水量的8.61倍。在不同的降水量区域, 植被 PUE的年际波动与气候因子的关系也有较大差别, 对于年降水量0-220 mm的地区, PUE的年际波动与降水量呈正相关性、与气温呈负相关性; 在年降水量为220-310 mm的地区, PUE的年际波动主要受降水量的控制, 受气温影响较小; 在年降水量>310 mm的地区,PUE的年际波动与降水量、气温均呈正相关关系, 但在降水量越高的地区, PUE的年际波动与降水量的相关性越弱, 与气温的相关性越强。植被覆盖度与PUE的空间分布极显著相关(R² = 0.73, p < 0.001), 且与 PUE的年际波动也存在线性相关关系(R² = 0.11, p < 0.001); 叶面积指数( LAI)与PUE的年际波动呈线性相关关系(R² = 0.42, p < 0.001), 而当 LAI < 3.15时, PUE的空间分布随LAI增加而呈线性增加。     

中国西北部草地植被降水利用效率的时空格局

植被降水利用效率(PUE)是评价干旱、半干旱地区植被生产力对降水量时空动态响应特征的重要指标。利用光能利用率CASA(Carnegie-Ames-Stanford Approach)模型估算了2001—2010年中国西北七省草地植被净初级生产力(NPP),结合降水量的空间插值数据,分析了近十年草地植被PUE的空间分布、主要植被类型的PUE,及其时空格局的驱动因素。结果表明:(1)2001—2010年西北七省草地植被的平均PUE为0.68 g C m~(-2)mm~(-1)。在温带草地各类型中,PUE的大小顺序为草甸草原灌丛典型草原荒漠草原荒漠,各类型草地PUE之间差异显著;对于高寒草地而言,高寒草原的PUE显著高于高寒草甸;(2)温带草地PUE的空间分布与年降水量的关系呈抛物线形状(R~2=0.65,P0.001),PUE峰值出现在年降水量P=472.9 mm的地区;荒漠地区植被PUE的空间分布与年降水量的关系同样呈抛物线形状(R~2=0.63,P0.001),PUE峰值出现在年降水量P=263.2mm的地区;对于高寒草地而言,年降水量100 mm以下地区植被PUE变异较大,年降水量大于100 mm的地区植被PUE的空间分布随降水量的变化呈抛物线形状(R~2=0.47,P0.001),PUE峰值出现在P=559.2 mm的地区;(3)不同降水量区域,植被PUE的年际波动与气候因子的关系也有较大差别。在年降水量为200—1000 mm的地区,草地PUE的年际波动与年降水量的变化呈正相关;在年降水量高于1050 mm的地区,草地PUE的年际波动与年均温的相关性较强,相关系数最高可达到0.4。     

青藏高原植被降水利用效率的空间格局及其对降水和气温的响应

植被降水利用效率(precipitation use efficiency, PUE)是反映生态系统水、碳循环相互关系的重要指标。该文利用GLOPEM-CEVSA模型模拟了青藏高原2000-2008年植被净初级生产力(net primary production, NPP), 以97个野外草地样点实测地上净初级生产力(above-ground net primary productivity, ANPP)对模拟NPP进行验证, 模拟NPP与ANPP线性显著相关(R ² = 0.49, p < 0.001)。利用降水量空间插值数据, 分析了近9年青藏高原植被PUE的空间分布、主要植被类型的PUE及其与降水量之间的变化关系。结果表明: 2000-2008年青藏高原地区植被年平均PUE沿东南向西北递减, 降水量和气温对植被PUE有着重要的影响; PUE在不同植被类型间差异较大, 其中农田PUE最高, 高寒草甸PUE高于高寒草原。在不同降水区域植被PUE与降水量的关系不同, 降水量低于90 mm的区域, 植被PUE值最低((0.026 ± 0.190) g C·m ^-2·mm ^-1, 平均值±标准偏差)、波动最大(变异系数CV = 721%), 与降水量和气温不相关(p = 0.38)。降水量为90-300 mm的地区, 植被PUE较低((0.029 ± 0.074) g C·m ^-2·mm ^-1, 平均值±标准偏差)、波动较大(CV = 252%), 与降水量和气温显著相关(p < 0.001), 降水量和气温能够解释PUE空间变化的43.4%, 其中降水量的影响是气温的1.7倍。降水量为300-650 mm的区域占整个研究区的45%, 主要植被类型为高寒草原, 植被PUE较高((0.123 ± 0.191) g C·m ^-2·mm ^-1, 平均值±标准偏差), CV为155%; 植被PUE的空间变化与降水量和气温极显著相关(p < 0.001), 降水量和气温能够解释植被PUE空间变化的97.8%, 但以气温影响为主导, 其影响是降水量的1.5倍。降水量为650 mm的区域, 植被PUE达到最高(0.26 g C·m ^-2·mm ^-1)。降水量为650-845 mm的区域主要是西藏林芝地区, 植被以常绿针叶林为主, PUE最高((0.210 ± 0.246) g C·m ^-2·mm ^-1, 平均值±标准偏差)、波动最小(CV = 117%); 降水量和气温可解释植被PUE空间变化的93.1% (p < 0.001), 降水量的影响是气温的3.5倍, 但其影响为负。     

基于NBR指数分析大兴安岭呼中森林过火区的林火烈度

基于TM影像和3S技术手段,利用NBR指数对1986—2010年大兴安岭呼中林区森林过火区林火烈度进行了定量评价,分析了林火烈度与植被类型、海拔、坡度和坡向等环境因子的关系.结果表明:呼中林区的林火发生次数和面积年际变化明显,每年6—8月是林火的高发期,重度火烧区占总过火面积的84.2%.过火区中,兴安落叶松林占89.9%;海拔1000～1500m区域占68.8%;东、南、西、北4个坡向的过火面积占62.5%,阴、阳坡过火面积差异不明显;坡度15～25°的斜坡区域过火面积占38.4%.不同程度林火烈度的过火面积由大到小依次为重度火>中度火>轻度火>未过火,其中,重度火过火面积>70%,中度火过火面积在10%左右,轻度火和未过火的过火面积<5%.呼中林区林火烈度以重度火为主,对森林资源的破坏程度极大.在大兴安岭林区的林火管理中,应尽早开展森林可燃物处理工作,以降低林火烈度,保障森林生态系统的安全.     

若尔盖草甸退化对土壤碳、氮和碳稳定同位素的影响

为了解不同退化阶段高寒草甸土壤碳、氮和碳稳定同位素的差异,对若尔盖湿地内沼泽草甸、草原化草甸、退化草甸3个阶段土壤的碳、氮和碳稳定同位素进行了分析.结果表明:若尔盖湿地草甸土壤δ¹³C 值介于-26.21‰～-24.72‰之间,土壤δ¹³C 值随土层加深而增大.土壤δ¹³C 值与有机碳含量对数值呈线性负相关.表层土壤(0～10 cm)δ¹³C值大小顺序为草原化草甸>退化草甸>沼泽草甸,β值大小顺序为草原化草甸>沼泽草甸>退化草甸.沼泽草甸、草原化草甸、退化草甸0～30 cm 土壤碳含量分别为105.32、42.11和31.12 g·kg^-1,氮含量分别为8.74、3.41和2.81 g·kg^-1,C/N分别为11.26、11.23和10.89.随着草甸的退化,土壤碳、氮呈降低趋势,退化草甸C/N值低于沼泽草甸和草原化草甸.随着土层深度加深,碳、氮含量呈现降低趋势.草甸退化导致的土壤δ¹³C 值差异主要发生在表层0～10 cm.3个退化阶段中,退化草甸土壤的β值和C/N最低,表明退化草甸土壤矿化作用较强.     

1961-2010年内蒙古草原植被分布和生产力变化——基于MaxEnt模型和综合模型的模拟分析

定量评估气候变化对内蒙古草原植被分布及其净第一性生产力的影响有助于理解干旱区域生态系统结构和功能对气候变化的响应。基于最大熵模型（MaxEnt）评价了气候因子的重要性,进而模拟了1961-2010年内蒙古草原植被的地理分布,同时应用综合模型模拟了净第一性生产力变化。研究表明,湿润指数（MI）、年降水量（P）、最暖月平均温度（T_w）和最冷月平均温度（T_c）是决定草原植被分布的主导气候因子。1961-2010年内蒙古草甸草原、典型草原和荒漠草原分布面积分别减少了5%、1%和62%,草原面积整体减少了11%,预示着草原向着荒漠化的方向发展。降水是决定内蒙古草原净第一性生产力变化的最重要因素。     

东北羊草天然草地的初级生产力

羊草天然草地位于欧亚草原带的东部,广泛分布于苏联的贝加尔地区,蒙古人民共和国的北部和东部以及中国的内蒙古高原和东北平原。根据地带性植被的观点,以旱中生草本植物为优势,同时混生一定的中生草本植物的中国东北羊草天然草地属于草甸草原,它是中国温带的重要放牧场之一。 中国东北羊草天然草地的结构比较单一,单草种群在草地中居绝对优势地位。本项研究测定了羊草天然草地现存量的季节变化,其地上部分现存量的峰值出现在8月24日,为4758.33KJ/m²;地下部分现存量的峰值也出现在8月24日,为35977.65KJ/m²。羊草天然草地地上部分的净生产量为6288.06KJ/m²·a,地下部分的净生产量为19913.18KJ/m²·a,总净生产量为26198.24KJ/m²·a。     

Spatial and temporal variability of fires in relation to ecosystems,land tenure and rainfall in savannas of northern South America

Fire is a predominant factor forcing global terrestrial biomass dynamics, with more than 30% of the land surface showing frequent burning, particularly in the tropics, where it mostly affects savannas ecosystems annually. Savannas, which cover approximately 269 million ha in South America, play a major role in the global carbon cycle. They are affected by increasing human pressures and global climate change. Using satellite data, this study quantifies vegetation burning in the Colombian Llanos savannas for the period 2000–2008, and analyzes how fire spatial pattern, frequency and extent vary with ecosystem type, land tenure and rainfall. On average 2.75±0.5 million ha (24±4.2%) of the savannas burn each year. Burned area is highly variable, with 3.4 million ha burned in 2002–2003 and <1.9 million ha in 2005–2006. However, during the 2000–2008 period near of 3.7 million ha (33.5%) of the savannas never burned. Compared with the average 8–10 years of fire return time for the tropics and subtropics, these savannas burn twice as often. In addition, the average burn size figure for tropical and subtropical grassland savannas (with <5% trees) of 7000 ha (median 5000 ha), is about seven times the average burned patch size we found in our study. Fires predominate in the well‐drained high plain savannas, lowest figures occurring along the Andean foothills, in forested areas and in pasture and croplands. Annual proportion burned varies with land tenure, being highest in National Parks. This study is the first complete regional map of fire disturbance in a South American savanna. This detailed regional data provides a unique opportunity for increasing the accuracy of global carbon emission calculations.     

Vegetation of the woodland‐steppe transition at the southeastern edge of the Inner Mongolian Plateau

Abstract. The vegetation of the woodland‐steppe transition in southeastern Inner Mongolia, where the East Asian monsoon climate reaches its northwestern edge, is described and analysed in this paper. The communities are classified in a phytocoenological way. 12 major types of woodland, shrubland, meadow, fen, open woodland and steppe are differentiated and described on the basis of 133 phytosociological relevés. Detrended Correspondence Analysis shows that precipitation plays a crucial role in the distribution of grassland communities while woodland and shrubland communities are controlled by both warmth and humidity conditions. Four vegetation zones can be distinguished. From the woodland to the woodland‐grassland zone, the temperature decreases and the precipitation increases with increasing altitude, which leads to the conditions suitable for the meadow and fen communities. In the direction of the woodland‐steppe zone the temperature increases while the precipitation decreases with the gradual lowering of the altitude; the steppe communities form a matrix while the woodlands have a patchy distribution. From the woodland‐steppe to the steppe zone, the precipitation rather than temperature decreases; as a result the woodland communities disappear gradually. On a local scale, geomorphologic conditions determine the vegetation pattern of the study area. Due to the existence of a sandy substrate different woodland types occur together in the woodland‐steppe transition. The local distribution of woodland and steppe communities is dependent on slope conditions. In addition, human disturbance has also influenced the composition of plant communities.     

内蒙古高原针茅草原群落土壤水分和碳、氮分布的小尺度空间异质性

用地统计学的方法,研究比较了内蒙古高原4类地带性针茅草原群落,贝加尔针茅（Stipa baicalensis)群落,大针茅（S.grandis)群落,克氏针茅（S.krylovii)群落和小针茅（S.kelemenzii)群落0-20cm土壤水分和碳,氮的小尺度空间异质性特征,结果表明;4类群落土壤水分,有机碳和全氮均表现出显著的小尺度空间结构特征。自相关尺度为1.91m-10.81m,结构性方差占样本方差的35.31%-99.74%。从贝加尔针茅群落到小针茅群落空间自相关的尺度逐渐增大,纹理有逐渐变粗的趋势,土壤水分,碳和氮的小尺度空间格局共同作用于群落的生态学过程,即土壤水分格局→植物种群格局（基本斑块的大小）→土壤碳空间格局→土壤氮空间格局,同时,由于生态学过程的反馈作用,土壤氮空间格局→种群格局→土壤水分格局,土壤属性空间自相关尺度的改变可能是导致群落演替的驱动力,草原退化可能与土壤异质性尺度的改变相关。     

Disturbance regimes and mountain plover habitat in shortgrass steppe: Large herbivore grazing does not substitute for prairie dog grazing or fire

Restoring historical disturbance regimes to enhance habitat for grassland birds can conflict with livestock production goals and has been controversial because of uncertainty in the frequency and pattern of different disturbances prior to European settlement. We studied nesting habitat for the mountain plover (Charadrius montanus) in relation to prescribed fire, grazing by large herbivores (cattle), and grazing by black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) in the shortgrass steppe of northeastern Colorado. Breeding mountain plovers primarily occurred on black-tailed prairie dog colonies or areas burned during the previous dormant season. Vegetation surrounding mountain plover nests and foraging locations was characterized by a fine-scale mosaic of prostrate (<4 cm tall) vegetated patches interspersed with >35% bare soil in a given square meter, with this fine-scale pattern distributed over a broad (>100-m radius) area. Mountain plovers rarely occupied grassland lacking prairie dogs or recent fire, but those that did selected sites with similar vegetation height and bare soil exposure as sites on burns and prairie dog colonies. Vegetation structure at mountain plover-occupied sites was also similar to random sites on burns and prairie dog colonies, but differed substantially from sites managed only with cattle. Intensive cattle grazing at twice the recommended stocking rate during spring (Mar–May) or summer (May–Oct) for 6 years produced significantly less bare soil than burns and prairie dog colonies, particularly following years with average or above-average precipitation. Thus, intensive cattle grazing did not substitute for prairie dog grazing or fire in terms of effects on vegetation structure and mountain plover habitat. Both prescribed burning and increased size and distribution of black-tailed prairie dog colonies appear to be effective and complementary means to manage for mountain plover breeding habitat in shortgrass steppe. Provision of mountain plover habitat has tradeoffs with traditional management for livestock production. Thus, managers need to clearly define desired outcomes for management to provide multiple ecosystem goods and services. © 2012 The Wildlife Society.     

降水时间对内蒙古温带草原地上净初级生产力的影响

全球气候变化下降水时间的改变将深刻影响草原生态系统地上净初级生产力(ANPP),而草原生态系统ANPP是区域碳循环的重要过程.利用1998-2007年的SPOT-VEG NDVI数据并结合111个样点的ANPP地面样方调查数据,获得了内蒙古温带草原1998-2007年的ANPP区域数据,依此分析了中国内蒙古温带草原以及区域内的3种植被类型(荒漠草原、典型草原、草甸草原)降水时间对ANPP的影响.研究结果表明,对于整个内蒙古温带草原来说,一个水分年内(从上一年9月份到当年地上生物量达最大值时的8月份)影响ANPP较为重要的降水月份为2-7月份,其中,5-7月份降水尤为重要.具体到每个月降水的影响,研究发现,7月份降水最重要,而仍处于生长季的8月份降水相对于其他生长季降水作用最小;影响不同草地类型最重要的降水时期存在一定差异,对荒漠草原和典型草原地区来说,ANPP达最大值前3个月(5-7月份)的生长季降水最重要,而8月份降水影响较小,而草甸草原地区8月份和非生长季的3、4月份降水最重要,但各个降水时期降水对ANPP的影响都较荒漠草原和典型草原小,大部分地区降水对ANPP的影响不显著.     

Ground vegetation in the Mongolian taiga forest‐steppe ecotone does not offer evidence for the human origin of grasslands

Question: Is the vegetation of meadow and mountain steppes distinct from the ground vegetation of light taiga forests in the transitional zone between these biomes? Location: Western Khentey Mountains, northern Mongolia. Methods: Vegetation was recorded from 100‐m² plots from all dominant types of light taiga forest and dry grassland. Distinctness of ground vegetation was studied with Detrended Correspondence Analysis (DCA). Results: Ground vegetation in the light taiga was significantly different from the herbal vegetation of meadow and mountain steppes. Clear separation was only absent for the Car ex amgunensis meadow steppes that occur in a narrow strip along the forest edge and are partly shaded by trees. Forest and steppe communities followed a moisture gradient according to the DCA ordination with light taiga forests at the moistest sites and steppe communities at the driest sites. Ulmus pumila open woodlands diverged from this pattern, because of their close spatial and phytosociological relationship to mountain steppes. Conclusions: The present results do not support the assumption that grasslands in Mongolia's transitional zone between forest and steppe would generally resemble the ground vegetation of light taiga forests. This contradicts a published hypothesis stating that the vegetation of meadow and mountain steppes would not clearly differ from ground vegetation of light taiga forests in the forest‐steppe transitional zone of Mongolia.     

Introduced annual grass increases regional fire activity across the arid western USA (1980–2009)

Non‐native, invasive grasses have been linked to altered grass‐fire cycles worldwide. Although a few studies have quantified resulting changes in fire activity at local scales, and many have speculated about larger scales, regional alterations to fire regimes remain poorly documented. We assessed the influence of large‐scale Bromus tectorum (hereafter cheatgrass) invasion on fire size, duration, spread rate, and interannual variability in comparison to other prominent land cover classes across the Great Basin, USA. We compared regional land cover maps to burned area measured using the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) for 2000–2009 and to fire extents recorded by the USGS registry of fires from 1980 to 2009. Cheatgrass dominates at least 6% of the central Great Basin (650 000 km²). MODIS records show that 13% of these cheatgrass‐dominated lands burned, resulting in a fire return interval of 78 years for any given location within cheatgrass. This proportion was more than double the amount burned across all other vegetation types (range: 0.5–6% burned). During the 1990s, this difference was even more extreme, with cheatgrass burning nearly four times more frequently than any native vegetation type (16% of cheatgrass burned compared to 1–5% of native vegetation). Cheatgrass was also disproportionately represented in the largest fires, comprising 24% of the land area of the 50 largest fires recorded by MODIS during the 2000s. Furthermore, multi‐date fires that burned across multiple vegetation types were significantly more likely to have started in cheatgrass. Finally, cheatgrass fires showed a strong interannual response to wet years, a trend only weakly observed in native vegetation types. These results demonstrate that cheatgrass invasion has substantially altered the regional fire regime. Although this result has been suspected by managers for decades, this study is the first to document recent cheatgrass‐driven fire regimes at a regional scale.     

Fire as a Recurrent Event in Tropical Forests of the Eastern Amazon: Effects on Forest Structure,Biomass, and Species Composition1

The effects of fire on forest structure and composition were studied in a severely fire-impacted landscape in the eastern Amazon. Extensive sampling of area forests was used to compare structure and compositional differences between burned and unburned forest stands. Burned forests were extremely heterogeneous, with substantial variation in forest structure and fire damage recorded over distances of <50 m. Unburned forest patches occurred within burned areas, but accounted for only six percent of the sample area. Canopy cover, living biomass, and living adult stem densities decreased with increasing fire inrensiry / frequency, and were as low as 10–30 percent of unburned forest values. Even light burns removed >70 percent of the sapling and vine populations. Pioneer abundance increased dramatically with burn intensity, with pioneers dominating the understory in severely damaged areas. Species richness was inversely related to burn severity, but no clear pattern of species selection was observed. Fire appears to be a cyclical event in the study region: <30 percent of the burned forest sample had been subjected to only one burn. Based on estimated solar radiation intensities, burning substantially increases fire susceptibility of forests. At least 50 percent of the total area of all burned forests is predicted to become flammable within 16 rainless days, as opposed to only 4 percent of the unburned forest. In heavily burned forest subjected to recurrent fires, 95 percent of the area is predicted to become flammable in <9 rain-free days. As a recurrent disturbance phenomenon, fire shows unparalleled potential to impoverish and alter the forests of the eastern Amazon.     

内蒙古典型草原区3种不同草地利用模式下植物功能群及其多样性的变化

以呼伦贝尔草原辉河国家级自然保护区草原群落为研究对象, 选取3块生境条件基本相同的样地(250 m × 250 m) ——放牧场、割草场及公共草场, 每块样地设置3条样带, 每条样带上设置8个样方(1 m × 1 m), 研究了不同草地利用模式下草原群落的物种组成、生物多样性及群落的功能群特征。结果表明: 在放牧场、割草场和公共草场3种不同利用模式下, 植物功能群结构及其多样性发生了变化。灌木、半灌木的累积优势度在各利用模式间差异显著( p< 0.05), 在割草场中最高; 多年生禾草的累积优势度在各利用模式间差异显著(p< 0.05); 一、二年生草本的累积优势度在各利用模式间差异显著(p< 0.05)。旱生植物功能群在公共草场中所占比例最高, 为50%; 中旱生植物在割草场中的百分比最低, 为19%, 且在各利用模式间差异显著(p< 0.05); 各利用模式下, 灌木、半灌木功能群生物量均较低; 随着割草场、公共草场及放牧场3种草地利用模式下利用强度的增加, 多年生禾草和多年生杂类草两大功能群的生物量递减, 而一、二年生草本功能群生物量递增。草地利用强度的增加, 使得草地植物群落结构简单、脆弱。丰富度指数和多样性指数在放牧场最低, 在割草场最高; 均匀度变化并不明显。割草场利用模式有助于改善草原的健康状况, 而放牧场及公共草场利用模式均存在不同程度的过度放牧现象, 尤其是公共草场利用模式由于所有权不明确而缺乏有效的管理, 导致草原退化明显。